I don't usually take much stock in opinion polls, but a recent poll by Fox News got my attention. On February 17-18, 2009, Fox conducted a telephone survey of 900 registered voters, consisting of 375 Democrats, 319 Republicans, and 166 Independents. Here are some of the more interesting results.

Question - Do you think Americans are starting to rely too much on the government and not enough on themselves? Yes - 76%, No - 20%, Don't Know - 3%

Good answer. It seems to show that people haven't been totally brainwashed into thinking the government must supply their every need. 63% of Democrats thought we rely on government too much, 91% of Republicans thought so, and 76% of Independents agreed. That's consistent. We already knew Democrats were the biggest government teat sucklers.

But things are not what they appear to be. Listen to the answers when the voters were asked whether the government should supply specific needs.

Questions - Do you think it is responsibility of the federal government to:- Help rebuild communities affected by natural disasters ? 88% said Yes - Make sure all Americans have food ? 68% said Yes- Make sure all Americans have health care ? 66% said Yes- Provide housing to those who cannot afford it ? 52% said Yes- Make sure all Americans who want a job have a job ? 51% said Yes- Rescue failing financial institutions ? 28% said Yes

So, Americans think we rely on government too much, but they want the government to provide food, housing, health care, and jobs for us. Um, what does that leave for us to provide for ourselves ? Maybe Americans think we should still dress ourselves and wipe our own butts. That's the old American can-do pioneer spirit that made this country great !!! We don't even know that much, because Fox didn't ask. I'm afraid what the answer would be if they had. We're becoming a nation with our hand out. Like babies, we cry "gimme" and demand our "rights" to everything under the sun. Again, on every "needs" question, Democrats thought the government should provide those needs at far higher numbers than did Republicans or Independents. Wah, wah, teat, teat.

Here's the kicker.

Question - Overall, would you say you generally trust the federal government, or not ?41% said Yes, 54% said No

Question - In general, do you think most elected officials in this country are honest and ethical, or not?32% said Yes, 63% said No

So, we want the government to provide all our basic needs, but we don't trust those corrupt sob's very much. That's like gladly ceding all responsibility over to the Mafia, and then hoping the mob will come through for you. Maybe narcotics are more rampant in this country than I thought. This is starting to give me a headache.

I think it's time for another lesson from Alexander Tyler, the Scottish history professor from the University of Edinburgh, who said the following in 1787 about the fall of the Athenian Republic:

“A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.
A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.”

“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:1. From bondage to spiritual faith;2. From spiritual faith to great courage;3. From courage to liberty;4. From liberty to abundance;5. From abundance to complacency;6. From complacency to apathy;7. From apathy to dependence;8. From dependence back into bondage”

Can't say it any better than that.

I think I'll call 911 and have the government deliver me a pizza now. Me hungry. Bye, bye.